Latest / Random Heathen Ramblings / The Discipline Gap In Modern Heathenry [RHR S7, EP11]

Transcript

The Discipline Gap In Modern Heathenry [RHR S7, EP11] · Random Heathen Ramblings

0:00
Hello everyone, and welcome to the Random Heathen Ramblings
0:03
podcast where we discuss all sorts of things Germanic
0:06
Heathenry related. My name is Jesse and I'm your
0:09
host. Let's get into it.
0:33
The Olivet Here workshop is dedicated to the Old Ways,
0:36
offering a wide selection of animist ritual supplies,
0:39
divination tools, altered goods and home decor, including
0:43
premium reindeer hides imported from traditional herders in
0:46
Northern Finland. Whether you're just starting
0:49
your spiritual journey or looking to expand your
0:52
collection with a custom drum, we have everything you need.
0:55
Visit ouronlinestore@theallofeightyear.com
0:59
and discover the beauty of Mountain Spirit.
1:04
Hey. Hello there, everybody.
1:05
Halen. Good.
1:06
Good evening. Good morning.
1:07
Good day. Thanks for tuning back into this
1:11
week's episode of the show. Glad that you could join us or
1:15
me or all of us together, I guess, collectively, wherever it
1:18
is that you're catching this, however it is that you're
1:20
catching this. Yeah.
1:24
I just want to say a very special thanks to that.
1:27
Very special thanks to my skull tier and above patron.
1:31
So Chris Martino, Michaela Adam Cage, John Deeson, Michael
1:37
Thacker. All of you folks that pledge
1:40
your support over on Patreon, thank you so very much.
1:43
If you're listening to this on the audio platforms and you're
1:46
interested in watching the video version of this show, head on
1:50
over to patreon.com/midgard Musings.
1:53
You just have to join at the Carl tier, which is only a $3
1:55
pledge now and you get your name in the in screen credits.
1:59
You get to watch the show with myself and guests as I have them
2:03
and my new Co host Patrick Walsh, which he does about one
2:09
or two episodes a month with with me here now recently he'll
2:13
be back on the show hopefully next week.
2:16
We've got a fun topic that he decided on that we're going to
2:19
be getting into next next time around.
2:21
So. Check all that stuff.
2:24
Out links are going to be you know, for my Patreon and and all
2:27
the other things that I'm working on currently is going to
2:29
be linked down in the show notes of the podcast.
2:33
For those of you watching down in the description, there's the
2:35
link to my book, which is a short saga, Saga of the Heroin
2:38
That Flies to Hell, as well as the pre-order links for my
2:44
upcoming musical project called Till the Final Twilight Dies.
2:49
That release date is March 1st, but if you get in on the
2:51
pre-orders now you get 2 tracks in advance plus a discounted
2:56
price on the album. So details for all that are
2:59
LinkedIn the show notes. So check that all out and sign
3:02
up if you're interested. And yeah, thank you for just
3:06
listening and being here this week and always, you know.
3:12
Wanted to talk this week about something that's kind of been.
3:17
I've noticed it for a while now and I talk around certain things
3:20
like this, but wanted to get into, you know, really, really
3:27
kind of dissecting this a bit. And this is this, you know, the
3:31
the discipline gap in modern heathenry, modern paganism.
3:35
But we're. Going to look at and focus on
3:38
the Heathenry parts of it, right?
3:41
You know, a lot of people are inspired.
3:43
By what Heathenry represents or stands to offer and they like
3:48
the I don't know what a lot of people get out of it, It's it's
3:54
probably. Different for everybody, you
3:55
know, a lot of people feel connected, resonates with them,
3:59
you know, maybe it's because of a loose idea of what they think.
4:06
You know, medieval Scandinavia was like, if they're, if they're
4:10
into the Norse side of things, or they'll just, you know, have
4:15
like a distant relative or something that they found out
4:19
was from northern Europe or, you know, continental Europe and
4:26
they'll they'll Oh yeah, my ancestor was a Viking or this or
4:30
that, you know what I mean? And so, you know, but and then
4:34
they start maybe realizing, oh, there was a religious or, or
4:37
faith or, you know, religious. Views or, or, or world views
4:41
that that these people had prior to Christianity spreading in
4:45
their areas. And yeah, they might feel
4:48
connected to it through ancestry or whatever else, and it
4:53
resonates with them deeply. And that seems to be where a lot
4:56
of it. Ends you know they'll they'll
4:58
join a bunch of social media areas and social media sites,
5:03
platforms, groups, forums, what have you.
5:09
And, you know, they're, they're attracted to the aesthetic of
5:13
it, the sound of it, you know, the, the look of it and all.
5:15
And then that's it. They don't really become
5:19
disciplined in the practice of it.
5:22
And, you know, it's not really, I don't want to say like that's
5:25
so much of an insult as it is an observation.
5:28
You know, and, and I'm able to say this because that's what I
5:31
see. Maybe other people are seeing
5:34
things differently when it comes to this modern heathen.
5:40
Resurgence or or whatever of interest.
5:43
And there's the reason why I'm saying this is like, I see
5:47
things like, you know, people asking constantly in these like
5:50
rune study groups that a lot of times I'm not even in, but they
5:55
get, I guess the algorithm throws them in front of my news
5:59
feed thinking that it's something that I would be
6:01
interested in. And it's, you know, how many
6:03
dozens of times do people come in there and be like, can
6:06
anybody read this inscription for me?
6:09
You know, and it's just some elder food art bullshit that
6:12
somebody put together. And it's like.
6:14
There's no discipline to actually learn it to, to do the
6:18
research for it. It's just quick and easy to get
6:20
into a group and ask a question and, and stuff.
6:23
And you know, granted, I know there's a time for that.
6:25
There's a time for asking questions when you are genuinely
6:28
interested in learning and stuff like that.
6:30
But these, you know, half assed and along the way and these kind
6:34
of just casual, nonchalant, no discipline, no, no dedication to
6:39
actually learning something, to answer your own questions.
6:42
This is the kind of thing that I'm referring to, you know.
6:47
So yeah, it's an observation. And, and sometimes I think
6:51
somewhere along the way, the modern Pagan movements or the
6:55
modern heathen scenes have become the kind of a space where
7:01
like inspiration is abundant. You see, you know, you see
7:06
plenty of inspiration, but the structure is not mandatory.
7:11
It's optional. You know what I mean?
7:14
You can do whatever you like, however you like, whenever you
7:17
like. You can call whatever you want.
7:19
You can call what you want whatever you want.
7:21
OK, It's, it's, it's all this non discipline, non structured
7:28
stuff that I see. And again, maybe it's for some
7:31
reason, maybe that's just what I'm mostly exposed to.
7:34
I'm not. And I'm not oblivious to the
7:38
ones that are out here doing it right, because I see that enough
7:42
of that as well where people are talking about their heathenry,
7:45
but they're, they're not just talking about it.
7:47
They're showing the, the fruits of their labor.
7:52
You know, they're, they're walking the walk, not just
7:54
talking the talk, but that is few and far between in, in
8:00
comparison to the majority. So today I want to talk about
8:04
what I see as a growing issue. You know, this, this the
8:08
discipline gap in modern heathenry.
8:14
So, you know, like when I say discipline, I'm not talking
8:19
about like a, a, a right dogma or blind obedience to something.
8:26
Just following, you know, what somebody says because it's, it's
8:30
who said it or, you know, anything like that.
8:36
You know, I'm talking about discipline in the sense of or in
8:39
the context of consistency. I'm talking about it in the
8:46
sense of following, following through and doing the work when
8:53
you don't feel like doing it. You know, I've gotten into that.
9:00
I know we all have before. I've gotten into the, the, the
9:05
trap, but sometimes of just of not doing something that, you
9:09
know, is the right thing to do or, or the good thing to do
9:12
because it, you just don't feel like it or doesn't, doesn't feel
9:16
like the right time, you know, and I want to get into that
9:19
eventually to these people that I, you know, here talking about,
9:23
you know, didn't feel right or I, I didn't feel like doing it.
9:28
I didn't feel like the, the right time and I wasn't inspired
9:32
properly. You know, a lot of modern
9:35
Heathenry I see is built on that.
9:38
It's built on this, you know, feeling like it has to be right,
9:43
you know, all the time. And if it doesn't feel right,
9:50
then it's not right kind of a thing.
9:53
And I want to draw the contrast and, and give you all something
9:56
to think about in the sense of, you know, if we're talking about
9:59
what is being, what is inspirational, we're usually
10:02
looking at things that have a emotional and fleeting
10:08
connotation, OK, To be inspired by someone or by something
10:13
that's a feeling that we get in the moment it comes to us and
10:18
then it goes away. We're not constantly living in a
10:22
state of inspiration. We're just not.
10:25
You can be doing a dozen things throughout the day and not be
10:29
inspired by and then, you know, you might be thinking of someone
10:32
or something and then all of a sudden you get that feeling of
10:35
inspiration of wanting to get up and do it or whatever.
10:37
But that that feeling is fleeting.
10:39
It doesn't stay. Discipline is a structured,
10:44
repeatable and grounding practice.
10:48
It doesn't matter how 1 feels, feeling and desires are relevant
10:53
with with discipline. You just do it because it must
10:57
be done. So I think with a lot of modern
11:00
heathen practices being built on feeling, they're like feeling if
11:05
it's, you know, oh, I was going to do this, but it didn't like
11:09
feel like the right time or, you know, excuses like that.
11:13
That is, that is really not what I believe our ancient ancestors,
11:19
you know, practice with what was what is now called Heathenry
11:23
boat were what were their indigenous beliefs.
11:29
You know, historical Heathenry wasn't around, wasn't about
11:33
feeling, it was about repetition.
11:35
It was about doing things and it was about doing things correctly
11:40
to achieve such a result. When it was done, was it
11:47
mattered? The timing mattered the, the,
11:51
the structure of how it was done mattered.
11:54
It didn't matter how you felt about it or how your, your
11:57
feelings or what you know, all of that.
11:59
It just, it mattered how it was done, when it was done, that it
12:03
was done, you know, and while maybe maybe we're not like as
12:12
richly gifted with source material that really defines
12:19
what bloat was like and how it was performed and all that, we
12:23
do get a sense though that ritual itself and, and as ritual
12:27
was performed was structured and repeated.
12:30
We have accounts in the Hamstringle saga that tell us
12:35
when Yule was supposed to be and what it was for, you know, when
12:43
winter nights was and you know, when the cigar bloat or the
12:47
victory sacrifice was, you know, so we had, we have a, A at least
12:54
somewhat documented sources that that support the seasonal, you
13:00
know, sacrifices that were held regularly.
13:04
I'm sure there might have been others that did not get
13:08
documented for whatever reason, but the big ones, you know, if
13:12
it was important. And then this is goes back to a
13:14
bit of what I was talking about on last week's podcast is that I
13:19
feel like if the things that were written down in the
13:20
surviving sources that we have were not important and they
13:24
wouldn't be there. They were things that were
13:25
written down were important down to how much of something is
13:31
being talked about, the numbering of things.
13:34
Obviously we have you'll winter nights, cigar bloat, right?
13:37
We have these, we have these feasts, we have these
13:41
dedications, these sacrifices documented down, sometimes in
13:45
more than one place, but they were important enough to be
13:48
written down. So the feasts and the rites
13:51
were, were that, that I feel, you know, we know when they were
13:55
done historically. And I feel like the, the, the,
13:58
whether or not the, the, let's say the, the format of the
14:01
ritual was written down, you know, regardless of the fact
14:06
that it wasn't written down, those rites, those feasts, those
14:10
sacrifices, those things were organized.
14:12
I, they had to have been, I feel they had, they were organized
14:16
and they were expected. It was understood that, you
14:23
know, that Yule was a feast till for, for Goodyear, for a good
14:27
year and peace, or might have been winter nights.
14:30
But anyway, it was it was that feast that was, you know, till
14:34
was for Goodyear and peace that was structured, that was ordered
14:38
enough to know that what the, what the ritual was going to be
14:42
or what the rites and what the feasting and and the symbols and
14:45
whatever were going to be were framed around that specific
14:48
purpose for a Goodyear in peace, right.
14:52
So it doesn't come from, from, from a place of people being all
14:58
Willy nilly about it. It didn't come from sporadic
15:01
effort. It came from consistent and
15:04
communal practices and ways of doing things.
15:11
You know, and, and I feel like a lot of that is, is missed and
15:15
lost in, in modern heathen culture and in modern culture,
15:20
modern society in general, you know, discipline isn't expected.
15:30
It was at one point in time expected.
15:31
It wasn't an option. So.
15:35
You know, other such things that we read about through various
15:41
sources, whether it be in sagas or, or or what have you are the
15:46
the importance of the oath and and what an oath meant in that
15:50
oath culture demanded discipline.
15:53
There was no optional around it. You know, the, the oaths that
15:56
were sworn during Yule, I believe it was in the, the, the
16:03
head of our saga or Hethrix where it talks about the, the
16:09
men swearing oaths on the bristles of, of, of the boar
16:13
that was eaten. That was obviously a very
16:17
specific structure thing that was done at a specific time for
16:21
a specific reason. And, and these, these
16:25
commitments, these oaths were, were executed.
16:29
These these these oath contracts, these oath webs were
16:33
were woven publicly in, in, in, in often times, right.
16:38
And often cases it was in front of a bunch of people and it was
16:43
made with real consequences attached to them should the oath
16:48
be broken. And, you know, not fulfilled was
16:55
one of the one of the surefire ways to become, you know,
16:58
outlawed was to to to be an oath breaker.
17:07
Sorry, I'm just, I hope you can't hear it, but I'm sitting
17:10
in my office and there's a vehicle rumbling through the
17:14
parking lot, like, shut up, shut up.
17:20
Noxious. Anyway, Yeah.
17:24
So like, you know, oaths, right? What, what, what, what people
17:27
said when there was an oath involved.
17:30
This wasn't casual promises without any consequences.
17:35
It was binding. And in order for something to be
17:39
binding, discipline was expected.
17:43
There was no option on for this because reputation was was was
17:49
everything. Your reputation depended upon
17:51
it. If you didn't have your, you
17:54
know, you didn't have your stuff together and you weren't holding
18:00
on. And if you weren't holding your
18:01
oath and, and, and, and having that accountability, you were
18:12
seen as without honor, you couldn't be depended upon, you
18:17
know, So discipline wasn't optional.
18:20
It was expected. Reputation is everything.
18:23
And that's what was dependent upon was discipline was was
18:28
doing it even when I don't feel like doing it.
18:32
Desire is irrelevant with with regards to that side of things.
18:42
And you know, even if you just want to focus on like it's
18:45
because this becomes a very popular focus in modern heathen
18:49
times. Is is to focus on a specific
18:51
saga or a specific poem. I mean the whole of them all.
18:54
Gets passed around as if it's. You know, biblical law for
18:59
heathens and it's nothing like that.
19:02
It's it's practical wisdom that applied for society then and
19:07
still has applicable context to people in our society now.
19:14
And the Hava malt is is rich with repetitive themes of
19:20
moderation, self-control, thoughtfulness before actions,
19:24
looking, you know, around you when you're in you go places
19:27
carrying your weapon with you, visiting a friend off.
19:31
And, you know, all these things are, you know, moderation and
19:34
drink moderation and how much you speak and moderation and how
19:38
much you sacrifice even, you know, like there's repeated
19:42
warnings and admonitions and wisdom.
19:45
Shared throughout the hall of them all that.
19:47
Supports the emphasis on temperance, the, you know,
19:54
restraint, moderation, all of these things which requires
19:58
discipline. Otherwise you'll be drinking all
20:01
you want and saying anything you want because you don't fear for
20:04
the ramifications of doing so. And you know, all of those
20:08
things that that show a lack of discipline, a lack of
20:12
self-control, a lack of moderation, a lack of
20:14
temperance. So, you know, it's easy maybe
20:20
for, for newcomers in Heathenry to see the aesthetic side of
20:25
that Heathenry gets the most, you know, or also true or
20:30
whatever name you want to put to it.
20:31
Now gets the most attention put on.
20:33
It is, you know, bold, loud, proud, you know, not taking no
20:42
shit from nobody and always standing up for what is this and
20:45
that, right, like noble and honor and all these great
20:48
things. But that's nothing if there, if
20:52
it, if there's no discipline attached to it.
20:54
You know, you can't just go around spouting all these things
20:57
and and and expect anybody to take you seriously if you're not
21:00
living and behaving in ways that reflect these notions.
21:09
Like just, you know, like I mentioned before with the ha of
21:12
them all. There's there's several places
21:13
and I gave you some of them, but you know that that one, that one
21:16
stands that I think that mentioned that got mentioned
21:18
recently in in the last episode or two was something along the
21:21
lines of right, like a the foolish man speaks much, but a
21:24
wise man observes and is acts with intention.
21:29
And again, it's think before you act response versus reaction.
21:35
We've talked about that before as well.
21:39
It's to say, and it's to support the idea that even though you
21:44
can look and you can see all these, you know, wonderful
21:47
examples and, and of, of honor and, and, and boldness and doing
21:52
things and taking action and not being afraid and, you know,
21:57
courage and whatever. It's these things that exist in
22:02
this culture don't, do not exist out of impulse.
22:07
They exist through measured behavior, right through through
22:13
the discipline of learning when to act, when not to act,
22:18
learning how to behave in these ways that support this upright
22:25
behavior. OK.
22:28
And that's, that's, that's, it requires discipline, the
22:32
cultural expectation of discipline, like I talked about
22:35
before, whereas it's not optional.
22:38
It's, you know, it's, it seems almost like nowadays that in
22:42
order for a, a group, the kindred, a tribe or whatever, in
22:48
order for these groups to, to work, it's, it's like there has
22:53
to be this, it has to be in the bylaws almost of, of this group
22:57
or it needs to be clearly defined.
23:01
You know that you're expected to do these things, and that's
23:08
great. I, I fully support that.
23:11
Modern heathen groups, Kindred's tribes, whatever name you want
23:15
to put to them as they formulate this, this structure, that they
23:21
have that clear expectation set that hey, you're not just coming
23:24
into something to be a casual spectator.
23:30
If you're here, it's expected of you to contribute.
23:36
So that's that's where maybe some of these groups that that,
23:41
that, that falter, that don't last is perhaps a reason why
23:46
they do so is because there is no clear expectation of
23:49
involvement of participation, of discipline being established.
23:55
It's almost like, well. You can if you want to or you
23:57
know, you know, we'll, we'll get together whenever we can get
24:01
together if it doesn't work for everybody.
24:03
It's like, no, we're getting together here on this day at
24:07
this time, and you got to work yourself into this line of
24:13
things. It's manage your time better,
24:19
involve the planning of things to include such and such a date
24:23
of time of when we're going to be together, right?
24:25
Don't, don't, don't, don't think of, of what we're doing as a
24:31
tribe as as optional. Make it your business, make it
24:34
important. Make it an expectation to
24:38
uphold. You know, 'cause it does.
24:43
Like if you, if you, if you look at any of the sagas, any of the
24:46
myths, any of the lore, any of the poems that you don't see
24:52
people just drifting from one inspirational moment to another,
24:57
right? You don't see them just talking
25:00
about how great it felt to to be together on, on Yule.
25:06
I'm just saying as such, you know, and, and how inspired they
25:09
felt because they felt the, the presence of the gods and it was
25:12
this and it was that. And then they had to wait until
25:15
the next inspirational thing for them to feel a certain way.
25:19
No, it was, you see structure, you see expectation, you see
25:25
those repeated and repetitious things.
25:33
Even if it's not explicitly stated, it's it's strongly
25:36
implied and and probably very likely a reality of, of what it
25:43
was like at the time of what people were doing.
25:46
It was, it was we're doing it because this is when we did it
25:50
the last time. And it's, yeah, I'm sure there
25:52
were feelings about it. I'm sure that the people had
25:54
feelings just like we do now have feelings of when cigar
25:58
bloats coming up, we get, we start getting excited, you know,
26:00
we start feeling inspired to think about our victories and,
26:04
and celebrating them and working towards new goals to be
26:07
victorious and, and all that. I'm sure that is even though
26:11
humanity is, was, you know, older at that time or, you know,
26:15
younger but older it was, it was a long time ago.
26:18
So they were younger. It was younger, but it's older
26:20
to us because we're looking from the back.
26:22
Anyway, however you want to look at it, people were still people.
26:25
They had emotions, they had feelings.
26:27
And I'm, I'm sure that just because it wasn't written down
26:30
doesn't mean that they, they didn't feel inspired or felt,
26:35
you know, whatever that they felt at the time of the
26:37
inspiration wasn't a word for them, but the feeling of that
26:40
didn't exist. I'm sure it did.
26:47
You know, reputation builds over time.
26:52
And you're not going to have that building over over time
26:55
without a, a solid structural process, you know, or solid
27:01
structured process, a structured way, an orderly way of doing
27:07
things. I mean, look.
27:08
At look at all of the, you know, we already talked about, you
27:10
know, the seasonal bloats when bloat was done, what for what it
27:15
was done for. And then look at, you know, if
27:19
you go get like some of the, some of the law books, you know,
27:23
like London book and, and other regional writings of, of laws at
27:29
the time, you know, everything was, it was, there was order, it
27:33
was, it was structure and it was meant for the good of the people
27:41
and upholding the law, maintaining the law, making sure
27:46
that you're keeping track of your moons for the times that,
27:51
you know, are coming up for a, a, a scheduled bloat or
27:57
sacrifice. All of these things require the
28:01
discipline of doing them, upholding them, maintaining
28:05
them, doing or not doing things based on what laws were were
28:09
set. What?
28:10
What tradition? What what Yeah, what laws, what
28:12
threw was at the time. Didn't you know, didn't matter
28:18
or didn't just matter that you believed in something or not?
28:24
It was this is the way, this is the custom, this is the this is
28:27
the through this is the law. This is the way that it's to be
28:30
done. And you, you, you're disciplined
28:33
in doing it that way. So, you know, with the modern
28:37
shift you're looking at, you know, older.
28:40
Texts and in the society at the time and the way things were and
28:43
so you with this modern shift now and what the way it has been
28:47
for everybody here listening today.
28:50
It looks so much different than that.
28:52
Like I talked earlier before it was like, you know when to do
28:58
things you know, we'll we'll do it when it's convenient.
29:04
You know, we'll do it when it's convenient for everybody instead
29:07
of setting the date based on the reason why.
29:10
And then people need to be disciplined, making sure that
29:12
they attend. It's it's, you know, clearly
29:17
that people are, are today more inclined to just do what feels
29:21
right, you know, and they're, and and that's there's a fine
29:26
line with that, you know, doing what feels right doesn't I get
29:35
where it's coming from and I understand that, you know, our,
29:40
our own intuition is going to be our best guide, you know.
29:44
That small voice that that that quiet home within us that that's
29:50
kind of guiding us along through life, you know, whether it's,
29:53
you know, whatever name you want to put to that our homingia, our
29:58
Filia or, or whatever, you know, term that you want to associate
30:02
with that sort of inner voice. But there's a.
30:10
Fine line with that. You know, again, it's if there's
30:14
no consistent ritual life, if there's no, if there's, you know
30:20
that there's none of that. But there's this identity
30:22
without there being structure. You know, we're going to dress
30:26
up like this on the weekend. You're cosplaying, you know, if
30:29
you're not learning anything and then applying it.
30:32
So learning without applying it, it's great to you know, I see, I
30:37
do I see plenty of really well written, well researched, smart
30:45
people or pages or or, you know, places to where people can find
30:52
good learning material. But is it being applied or, you
30:58
know, are those things that you're learning being applied?
31:01
Are the things that we are learning being applied?
31:03
You know, this isn't this isn't, you know, come to the podcast
31:06
and get preached at by Jesse. No, it's not that.
31:08
It's this is just observations again, what I'm seeing and it's
31:13
it's observations that I sometimes find of myself and see
31:17
of myself, you know, and I go, well, if I'm seeing this, is it
31:20
because of if I'm seeing this without right as I'm observing
31:25
things without, is it? Is it?
31:29
Is it? Mean does it mean something that
31:31
I need to be focused on back to me?
31:34
You know, like a reflection. So I that's how I see.
31:38
A lot of times when we, when I find myself observing things
31:42
outside of me, that's a moment for me to pause and go, is this
31:48
a reflection of what's really going on with me?
31:51
And then what do I do to fix that?
31:52
Well, how do I correct that? How do I improve, You know,
31:57
people nowadays and you know, just in general people I, I feel
32:02
have. You know, we've created this
32:05
like spiritual culture where the desires are high.
32:09
Follow through is low. People want to feel connection.
32:14
People want to have that sense of belonging.
32:18
People want to feel like they're in touch with divinity, that
32:23
they're in touch with the sacred, that they're connected
32:25
with something greater than themselves, where they see that
32:30
as outside of themselves. And that doesn't give you
32:35
anything to really to follow up with though.
32:38
Where do you go? If it's outside of you, I mean
32:43
you work on yourself, work on ourselves, bettering ourselves.
32:47
Next thing you know, the world around us improves, our world
32:52
around us improves. So the follow through is what is
32:55
more important than the desire. The desire can be the start, but
32:58
following through and doing it and being disciplined with
33:02
something is where the, where, the, where the results are seen.
33:10
You know, it's, it's like anything, you know what I mean?
33:13
It's not just heathenry. It's just life in general.
33:15
You know, you want to you, you, oh, you really want to lose
33:19
weight. Great.
33:21
And if that's all you talk about, that's all you think
33:23
about instead of doing what it takes to lose the weight, same
33:28
thing, you know, you, you, you're not going to, you're just
33:33
going to keep talking about it. It's just going to be a another.
33:35
Subject. In another conversation at a
33:38
later time that repeats itself. It's like a broken record.
33:46
You know, how many of us have had the same conversations with
33:50
people that we've known for years?
33:54
And it's like, I remember this song.
33:59
It hasn't changed, you know, It's still the same song, right?
34:04
The song remains the same think as it goes it and it's tiring.
34:11
It's, it's, it's, it's exhausting to be put in that
34:18
position with somebody, especially people that you care
34:21
about, you know, because I don't know about you, but I'm, I'm not
34:25
the type of person to easily want to walk away, or at least I
34:28
hadn't been in the past, you know, walk away from somebody
34:31
who's just draining the, the life out of me.
34:35
And I've had to, I've had to learn to do that, even when it's
34:40
hard to do because I'm sick of hearing this song.
34:45
I'm sick of hearing the same song over and over and over
34:47
again. And you're not doing anything
34:49
about it to, to change. So I'm, I'm, I'm leaving this
34:53
record store. I'm moving on to a different,
34:56
you know, a different experience.
35:04
But so why is this all so important or why is it not
35:08
important? But why, you know, why is this a
35:10
problem? The things that I'm talking
35:14
about, you know, lacking, lacking the discipline.
35:18
It's it's, it's obviously it's preventing any real
35:20
transformation. Clearly you can't build anything
35:23
meaningful on inconsistency. And it weakens community really
35:30
too, you know what I mean? Like.
35:31
I've I've seen it. I've seen it happen close to me.
35:35
I've seen it happen, You know, outside of my immediate circles
35:44
is, you know, if no one is reliable, nobody, nobody, you
35:50
know, if nobody's reliable and then nothing is held together,
35:54
there's no consistent, there's no reliability if there's no
35:58
accountability between people. You're, you're not going to get
36:05
anything done. And then it creates, I think at
36:08
the same time it creates this illusion of depth, you know,
36:15
like you can feel really connected without actually
36:21
changing anything about life and then how you're connecting.
36:28
Talk about it. You can listen to a podcast, you
36:30
can watch a YouTube video and you can join a a Zoom call or
36:36
whatever, you know, and you get the sense of feeling connected.
36:40
But that's all it is. If it's just, I got my fix, I
36:44
got my inspiration for the week, and now I'm going to do
36:47
something. Yeah.
36:49
You know, maybe you start doing it for a little bit, doing it
36:51
for a time, and then you give up, you know, lacking
37:00
consistency, lacking discipline. Because one thing that I've, and
37:12
you know, I've, I've, I've taken on different things at different
37:14
times and I've not stayed consistent with them.
37:20
Life is about learning, right? I mean, and, and the heathen is
37:23
no different. Where, where the path that I'm
37:25
on right now is the heathen is not the same exact path that I
37:28
was on when I, when I first got on the road, you know, over a
37:33
decade ago. And that's the thing, you know,
37:37
discipline's not about restriction.
37:40
It's not about staying on the same path indefinitely without
37:47
exploring. It's about alignment.
37:50
Discipline is about alignment and, and, and sometimes to, to
37:56
find where you are truly aligned and what is truly aligned with
38:00
you. It requires exploration and it
38:03
and it requires journeying off, breaking a cycle, starting a new
38:09
cycle, right? It's a learning thing.
38:11
It's least it has been for me. Learning what where, you know,
38:17
certain things require my attention and and then and then,
38:23
yes, at times I have adopted a practice or, you know, try to
38:28
get into the habit of something that I knew would be good for me
38:31
and then stop doing it, you know, and any number of excuses
38:37
that anybody could think of. You know, all my job was crazy.
38:42
I had a death in the family. There was.
38:45
There was a firefight. I mean, whatever the whatever
38:50
the excuse of the reason might be that you can come up with.
38:55
I've went through them all too, you know what I mean?
38:58
And still continue to at times, you know, So as much as I'm
39:02
talking out loud and sharing this with all y'all, it's it's
39:06
as as much of AA reflection back to me like, hey, you know, you
39:11
have been come inconsistent with things that you should be
39:16
consistent with. You know, one thing I can say is
39:21
at least the podcast is consistent.
39:22
Like, you know, you're going to get a podcast every week almost
39:27
without fail, barring any major circumstances, you know, but you
39:37
know, and when it comes with alignment, you know, like,
39:39
sounds great, right? Sounds wonderful to talk about.
39:42
Like, Oh yes, discipline. It's not about restrictions.
39:44
It's not about. It's about alignment and and how
39:47
do you figure out what you're aligned with?
39:49
Well, alignment. You know, aligning actions with
39:56
our values. What are you doing with what you
39:59
believe in? What do you believe in?
40:01
And then how are you living in ways that are in alignment with
40:04
that? You got to know what those
40:06
things are, and you have to be your own sovereign being to to
40:11
define those things. You know your attention.
40:16
Your intention needs to be aligned with your behavior.
40:20
Your identity needs to be aligned with reality.
40:23
None of this. You know I'm a Viking because
40:27
my. Great, great, great, great,
40:28
great. Grandfather was a Swedish so and
40:31
so or Danish, whatever, you know what I mean.
40:34
Like know who you are, know what your values are, know where your
40:43
intentions are, and let your behavior, your actions, and your
40:49
identity fall in line with all of that.
40:55
You know many ways. Discipline to me is like a
40:57
bridge that is between who we think we are and who we are
41:03
actually becoming. It's the bridge that gets us.
41:09
From what we're doing to what we become eventually it's, it's,
41:12
it's part of the building, it's part of the nails, it's part of
41:16
the spikes, it's part of the screws.
41:18
It's part of the, the, the, the cables are part of everything
41:20
that holds this bridge together. And and then because without it,
41:29
without that consistency, without that discipline, it,
41:32
there's no traveling safely across it's, it's, it's weak,
41:39
you know, and, and it goes back to these older views on, on
41:46
things. We are arch heathen.
41:48
Arch heathen ancestors would have view viewed the world
41:51
because in their world view it worth, you know, what you what
41:55
you were measured by what you're worth was, you know, wasn't
41:59
defined by anything that you talked about anything that you
42:02
claimed. It was defined by what you
42:04
consistently did. You had a reputation.
42:07
Why, you know, a reputation of doing such and such a thing.
42:11
Well, why did he have that reputation?
42:13
Because that's what he was doing all the time.
42:15
That's what he was how he was behaving all the time, he or
42:18
she, whatever, right. So it should that that that part
42:25
should not be so foreign now, right?
42:32
It's like I've said so many times over episodes over the
42:36
last seven seasons, now is what you see with me is is what you
42:40
get if people who have. Watched my shows or listen to my
42:45
shows? Meet me in person, you know?
42:50
What they see on camera is not much, if at all different than
42:55
who they meet in person. You know, and I've grown like
43:05
that over the years, right? I mean, I haven't been this all
43:10
the time. I can look back at some of my
43:12
videos and and go, that's pretty cringy, dude.
43:17
You know, you were definitely not being yourself.
43:20
You were, it was, it's part of that exploration, right?
43:23
It was part of that journey. It was part of that learning
43:26
where my what I'm aligned with and and finding along the way
43:35
and having the world see in varying degrees along the way
43:40
where that was where I was out of.
43:43
Line, you know, but I like to think now and I believe and I
43:51
feel now that I've, I've, I've, you know, woken up to where I
43:59
should be and what I should be doing with regards to like this
44:03
stuff. You know what I mean?
44:04
It's I'm not coming on here to pretend to be something I'm not.
44:10
I'm not trying to gain followers.
44:12
I'm not trying to gain likes. I'm not trying to gain views.
44:15
I'm not trying to do any of that.
44:17
I'm just sharing my thoughts and and if you want to be here to
44:26
hear them and and if it helps you in any way or helps others
44:29
in any way. Then great, you know, I'm, I'm
44:32
aligning with my values. I'm, you know, my honor is being
44:36
retained. My reputation is building my
44:38
weird because again, weird is about cause and effect.
44:43
Through through actions and my weird is is, you know,
44:49
stabilizing that web is is stable.
44:58
So a discipline's going to look like something different to
45:00
everybody. I think, you know, like that's
45:02
an important distinction to make what, what discipline actually
45:06
looks like, right? Making making practical sense of
45:09
what we're talking about. Because I can come up with, I
45:13
can come up with my scenarios in my life and, and see what, what
45:18
things I need to find discipline in and be disciplined.
45:21
And it's going to be different. Than yours or or other people's
45:25
right. So some ways, some some
45:33
practices, some practical steps to take or examples could be
45:38
from a heathen perspective, right?
45:40
Get into the doing of things, make regular offerings, not just
45:44
when you feel inspired to do so. You know, don't just say.
45:54
It's not the it's not the opportune time.
45:58
I'm not going to do it tonight. It the the the timing was just
46:00
not right. It didn't feel right.
46:02
Nope, damn it do it. Do it anyway.
46:04
Even when it doesn't feel right, even when you don't perhaps feel
46:09
inspired. Do it anyway of.
46:13
Course, keep your oaths. Even however big or small they
46:16
are, you know you've entered into that.
46:21
Social construct that that social contract, even that
46:25
oathweb with anybody make sure that you're holding your end of
46:31
the of the of the deal and and keeping your word with things if
46:39
you are a part of a group or a kindred.
46:41
Or a tribe or any of the collective of heathens nowadays
46:44
and. Show up for their rituals,
46:49
right? Show up for that consistently.
46:51
Don't just be that guy or gal that shows up once a year for a
46:57
big thing. I mean, I thought I realized
47:01
that, you know, people are spread out pretty.
47:04
Far and wide nowadays. I mean, I've got loved ones in
47:08
the community. Spread out across the state, you
47:13
know, hundreds of miles apart. It's not practical to.
47:19
Meet up every weekend or maybe even every month, but at least
47:23
be consistent with, you know, making an effort.
47:30
That's, you know, that's where it goes back to, you know,
47:33
everybody wants to be a part of something and everybody wants
47:36
this community and, and they want to feel like they belong.
47:40
And but how well can you belong to something and how when when
47:43
that belonging is spread out? Hundreds of miles apart.
47:47
I'm saying you can't be friends, not saying you can't be really
47:50
good. Like I have kinfolk, you know,
47:55
5-6 hundred miles away from me that I can only see a couple of
48:01
times a year because. Our lives are so busy and and we
48:06
have things it's like, but yeah, man, like.
48:13
There's there's another practice, right, Just if you
48:15
have that community, if you have that group nearby, show up for
48:19
that, develop, develop your rhythm of practice, you know,
48:24
and if they have one, if the group has one, try and and feed
48:29
that rhythm too. I think is a is a good approach
48:34
to take, but definitely have your own rhythm of practice.
48:37
You know, doesn't have to be dramatic, doesn't have to be a
48:39
big overture of things, but just something consistent.
48:44
You know, it has to be, like I said, not dramatic, just quiet
48:51
and consistent, you know, repetitive.
48:57
And then, well, next thing you know, if you aren't already
49:00
doing these things, it becomes who you are, you know, because
49:04
of that repetition, because of that consistency, because of
49:07
that discipline. It's not something that needs to
49:10
be thought of anymore. It becomes a program in into our
49:13
being. It's it's just what we do.
49:15
It's how we are. And you know, I'd love to hear
49:19
if people want to comment that down below here.
49:22
What are some of the ways that you are disciplining your
49:25
practice and share it with the audience?
49:28
Would love to hear that. So, you know, look.
49:34
Discipline is about consistency. It's not about ease.
49:38
It's not about how you're feeling when you're feeling
49:41
inspired. If it feels good, if it feels
49:43
right, it's not about that. Because if your practice only
49:47
exists in those times, if your practice only exists when you're
49:51
feeling inspired or motivated or good about something, then your
49:58
your practice really doesn't exist.
50:02
It's just a mood. It's just a vibe as the as the
50:06
kids today say, right. So moods don't build anything
50:15
lasting vibes, trends those those don't build anything
50:23
lasting, do they? So, you know, these like to call
50:31
old ways old to do foreign see either whatever old ways
50:38
practices that you have or you want to call them, you know,
50:41
they these these customs, these ways of doing things weren't
50:49
sustained by just inspiration, right?
50:53
They were sustained by people who showed up and did things
50:58
again and again and again, whether they liked it or not,
51:02
whether they felt like it or not.
51:04
It built that consistent practice.
51:08
It built that tradition. So if Heathenry is going to be
51:11
something that is meant right, if, if, if it's going to be
51:16
something that means anything to you, to you in your life, then
51:22
it has to move beyond comfort. It has to move beyond interest.
51:25
It has to move beyond identity. It has to move into discipline
51:32
practice. It has to be what you live, what
51:34
you breathe, what the way you walk.
51:40
And, and big shout out to all of the folks that I, I notice by
51:45
the, you know, the, the people who I see doing the damn work
51:51
and not just posting about it, not just talking about it, not
51:54
just, you know, we see you and I know you don't need to hear this
52:03
to keep doing it, but keep up, keep it up, keep up the good
52:08
work. So, yeah, you know, like this is
52:14
a question I will ask for everybody.
52:17
It's a question I'd ask myself is where is your practice?
52:23
Where is my practice consistent and where?
52:30
Is it just convenient, you know, doing it for the sake of
52:36
convenience, holding a bloat or a ceremony, whatever.
52:39
We're holding our Yule on Christmas this year because it's
52:45
convenient, you know, and, or that's a just an example.
52:48
Don't you know, I've had this conversation before with people
52:52
and I see where they're coming from with it, but I was just
52:55
using that as an example. And so, yeah, I'll ask that of
52:59
myself and of others is where's our, where's our practice
53:02
consistent and where is it convenient?
53:07
And if it's just for convenience, what can we do to
53:14
recognize that, come to that realization change as necessary
53:19
and move forward with consistency, with discipline for
53:25
the right reasons. So, but yeah, that'll be it for
53:31
me this week. I hope you all enjoyed that.
53:33
And again, if you want to share with ways or things that you
53:40
have adopted in in your discipline in your practice
53:43
that. You'd like to share?
53:44
Maybe it might help others because again, I mean I talked a
53:51
lot about. You know, doing things even when
53:55
you're not inspired. Don't don't take that the wrong
53:58
way either Don't, don't think that I'm not saying or don't
54:01
think that I'm saying that, you know, you shouldn't feel
54:02
inspired, that you should not worry about feeling inspired and
54:06
focus only on being a robot doing the disciplined work,
54:10
right. Moderation understand, I think,
54:14
the context. Of where I was coming from and,
54:17
and to not be too far one's way or the other, you know.
54:21
So yes, you have anything that might be inspirational for
54:24
others in their process of becoming more consistent and
54:30
becoming more disciplined if you have.
54:33
A method that you think might be helpful since it was helpful for
54:36
you and you want to share, definitely do so.
54:41
Please share that in the comments or call into the
54:43
hotline. It's again, we can share your
54:46
voice anonymously. If so, if you so choose here on
54:49
a future episode and talk about that.
54:51
It's the hotline number 615671 9832.
54:57
It's open 24/7, so just call whenever you feel like it, leave
55:00
a voicemail and your voice will be featured in a future episode
55:06
with your thoughts. If you're more of the typing or
55:08
writing type and there's nowhere.
55:10
For you to leave. A comment when you catch this
55:12
episode, of course my patrons here can do so down in the
55:15
comments section. Folks on Spotify can leave a
55:19
comment there, but if anywhere else that you're catching this
55:21
doesn't allow you to leave a comment and you just want to
55:24
shoot me an e-mail that works too, I'll be happy to read that
55:28
on an episode. It's Midgard musingstn@gmail.com
55:36
so thank you all for again. For being consistent, being here
55:41
and showing up every week to, to to catch these episodes and
55:46
sharing them with your, with your friends, with your, you
55:50
know, with your groups and. Yeah, just and sharing your
55:54
thoughts too. I love reading the comments when
55:56
they come through. Big, big, big shout out to all
56:00
my patrons that that that take the time out to do that.
56:03
So have a great day, have a great night, have a great week,
56:08
wherever it is and whenever it is that you catch this.
56:10
I truly appreciate you all. And until we talk to each other
56:14
again, may the gods continue to notice you and may your
56:17
ancestors smile upon you. See you in the next one.
57:28
None.